One of the best safari destinations in Africa is Tanzania. The Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and the more southern Nyerere (Selous) National Park are some of the region’s most famous animal locations. A wide range of hotels and camps catering to all budgets and tastes serve these and other popular safari destinations. Tanzania has everything you could possibly want, from a deluxe designer resort with all the modern conveniences to an old-fashioned tented camp with the most authentic bush environment.

There is no set order of quality for the hotels listed below.

1. Ngorongoro Crater’s Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Serena, the most consistently appealing luxury hotel operator in East Africa, runs first-rate lodges in a number of Tanzania’s top safari locations. One of these is Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, which has a breathtaking view of the largest extinct volcano crater in the world. Spacious, fashionable, and centrally heated rooms are available here—a pleasant luxury on the frigid crater rim. The cuisine, which blends Asian and European flavors, is also consistently delicious. Ngorongoro Serena is a fantastic place to start early game drives because it is the closest lodge to the major descent road to the crater floor.

2. Serengeti National Park’s Serena Safari Lodge

Another excellent Serena property is this well-liked 66-room resort, which is located in the center of the renowned Serengeti National Park. The rooms are very comfortable and have scene-setting African décor, but the location is a real wilderness setting on a well-wooded ridge. The resort is made up of multiple groups of thatched, double-story structures arranged to mimic a traditional Maasai hamlet. The neighboring Seronera River offers excellent big cat watching (lion, leopard, and cheetah), a well-run restaurant with a special emphasis on Indian food, and a refreshing infinity pool.

3. Serena Safari Lodge at Lake Manyara (Lake Manyara National Park)

The name Serena is synonymous with dependability in East Africa, and this 67-room lodge situated above Lake Manyara on the Rift Valley escarpment is no exception. The expansive, verdant gardens, which are teeming with birds and provide stunning views of Lake Manyara National Park, are traversed by a natural stream. A well-run restaurant that alternates between buffet and à la carte options based on occupancy, large and pleasant rooms, and a swimming pool with a view are among the facilities.

Serena Active, which provides a range of activities like mountain biking trips, night drives, and bush dinners in the national park, is also located at the lodge.

4. Ngorongoro Crater, also known as the Lion’s Paw Camp

Of all Tanzanian lodges, Ngorongoro Lion’s Paw boasts one of the most breathtaking sites. It is located on the eastern edge of Ngorongoro Crater, in a magical forest of umbrella thorn trees covered in lichen, with a view of the caldera floor’s flamingo-filled Lake Magadi. With their canvas walls, timber flooring, and tiled roofs, the 15 spacious apartments feel less exposed and more substantial than a traditional tent.

5. Safari Lodge Four Seasons (Serengeti NP)

Four Seasons stands out as maybe Tanzania’s most outstanding safari lodge in terms of lavish and upscale amenities. With a view of a waterhole that draws a lot of elephants and other wildlife, it has an amazing location in the Central Serengeti. All rooms have air conditioning, and there are three restaurants to choose from, a gym, a spa, and an infinity pool. All things considered, this is a fantastic option for both first-time safari visitors who are anxious about sleeping under canvas and families with kids.

6. Serengeti National Park’s Meliá Serengeti Lodge

The elegant Meliá, located along the Mbalageti River in the comparatively isolated Western Corridor, rivals Four Seasons as the most blatantly opulent lodge in the Serengeti. A swimming pool with a view and a sophisticated spa are among the amenities, which combine African and colonial themes in a tasteful way. Here, you may enjoy peaceful bush picnics and walking safaris with a Maasai guide in addition to exciting game drives.

7. Safari Lodge Tarangire (Tarangire National Park)

For those who are lucky enough to stay there, the oldest lodge in Tarangire National Park continues to be a favorite. It provides exceptional value for money by Tanzanian standards and has been owned and operated by the same active family since 1985. This lodge’s outstanding setting on a cliff overlooking a section of the Tarangire River, which is frequented by giraffes, elephants, and other wildlife, is its most distinctive feature. Traditional standing tents with private hot showers are used for lodging. The vibrant birdlife, hearty and nutritious home food, and a friendly swimming pool are further noteworthy attractions.

The eighth is Lake Natron Camp.

Of all the upscale establishments on Tanzania’s renowned Northern safari circuit, Lake Natron Camp has the most untamed and isolated location. It is located beneath the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai in a hot, arid region of the Rift Valley, near the southern coast of the exceedingly salty Lake Natron. The ten opulent safari tents are shrouded by camouflaged netting, which serves to both reduce the visual impact on this incredibly picturesque setting and provide shade.

Among the attractions are swimming in a stream that empties into Lake Natron, seeing some of the oldest human footprints on Earth, and birdwatching on the lake, which serves as the primary breeding ground for flamingos in East Africa.

9. Rufiji River Camp (Selous Nyerere National Park)

The Rufiji River Camp, located within Tanzania’s largest national park, is one of the most well-known, affordable, and long-standing luxury accommodations. As the name implies, it is located on the high north bank of the Rufiji River, a broad, year-round waterway that is home to significant populations of crocs, hippos, and other animals.

Comfortable safari tents with thatched roofs provide lodging. Every apartment has an own balcony with a view of the river, while the suites all have their own plunge pools. In addition to a wonderful double-story eating room and swimming pool shaped like a treehouse, there are wildlife drives, boat tours, and walking safaris led by knowledgeable guides.

10. Ruaha National Park’s Jabali Ridge

The most fashionable lodge in Tanzania’s second-largest park, Ruaha National Park, is Jabali Ridge. It consists of eight opulent semi-open cottages and a system of interconnecting wooden pathways set into a distinctive outcrop of massive granite boulders on the mountaintop.

The lodge provides excellent views of the Mwagusi River, a broad, sandy seasonal watercourse that is at the center of the park’s top animal viewing route, across the baobab-studded plains of Ruaha. Jabali Ridge takes pleasure in offering enjoyable guided walking safaris, night drives, and outstanding cuisine.